Britain’s aspiring drivers asked to join organ donation scheme

LONDON - Aspiring drivers in Britain will be asked from mid-2011 to state whether they are prepared to sign up to a government organ-donation scheme, the agency for driving licence applications said Friday.

Under the pilot scheme, due to enter into force from July, applicants will be asked whether they are prepared to join the Organ Donor Register of the National Health Service (NHS) - or defer a decision until a later date.

The Department of Transport Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) hopes that the scheme will boost the number of people willing to give vital body parts to help others live in the case of their own death.

Under the current system, applicants can skip over a question on donation when apply for a driving licence.

At present, only 27 percent of people in Britain are registered donors, while studies have shown that a far larger proportion are in favour of donating body parts.

The DVLA hopes that the scheme could help save the lives of some of the 8,000 people currently waiting for a transplant in Britain.